How much did it Snow?

We woke up to a white world. How extraordinarily beautiful a blanket of fresh snow is. The only tracks were from the deer, winding along the shore. They stopped to eat apples with our guests in Lantern cottage. The birds were busy at the feeders. The cats had to stay indoors -- there was so much snow both the Cat-Flap doors were drifted over. (Complaints were registered with management)

Just getting to the shovels and snowblowers was a challenge. Before the horses could go outside, doors had to be shovelled clear. Squeegee would have preferred if we'd shovelled out his whole paddock, I'm sure.

The 'big kids' were revelling in the snow. They couldn't wait to get down and roll in it, sending up snow showers of their own. It is good for their feet and legs, and certainly got two ears up from Blizzard, who has been lamenting the very hard frozen and uneven ground. He likes this much better!

Brian was in Novar, so David took over with the small snowblower, and gradually, bit by bit, things emerged. Like buildings... and walkways... who knew?

The chicken that spent the night under the big old barn, unwilling to come out to face the blizzard, finally made her run for the stable. She became a 'drift chicken', stuck in the snow, and needed rescue, but is now safe and warm and indoors, where I suspect she will remain. Being young, this bird had never seen snow. The older chickens know to wait until the paths are cleared before heading out

So how much snow? Almost 17"... It's truly amazing how swiftly the roads and driveways get cleared -- that's because unlike the city, we have someplace to put snow as we clear it, and we are expecting it, so there are trucks at the ready. Still, it's amazing that the place can vanish under crisp clean drifts during the night, and the roads are clear by the morning.

This is great news for the ski hills -- Hidden Valley has their snow guns running flat out, and equipment is grooming the hills. Skiers can't wait!